TIMELINE

Explore the significant events that shaped the course of history by delving into our curated timeline; each click on the Global or Local Events links or the years below unveils a world rich with stories of bravery, sacrifice, and resilience, highlighting pivotal moments from both local communities and the broader global landscape. As you navigate through the timeline, you’ll uncover a tapestry of memories from the battlefield to the home front, each entry shedding light on the lives impacted by the conflicts of the Great War, ensuring that the legacy of those who served is remembered and honoured through the passage of time.

Further information can be found on our  Society website, Timeline

GLOBAL EVENTS
ALL EVENTS
LOCAL EVENTS
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
PHOTOGRAPHS
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919

1914


  • General mobilisation in Great Britain and Ireland

  • Germany invades Luxembourg

  • Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated

  • Germany declares war on Russia

  • Germany declares war on France

  • BRITAIN DECLARES WAR ON GERMANY

  • Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia

  • Serbia declares war on Germany

  • Battle of the Frontiers

  • 1st Battle of the Marne

  • German advance to Paris stopped

  • Both sides dig in – leading to four years of ‘trench warfare’

  • The Seige of Antwerp

1915


  • 1-4 Cameron Highlanders arrive in France

  • Second Battle of Ypres

  • 51st Highland Division arrives in France

  • Allied Forces invade the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey

  • The Battle of Loos – September / October 1915

1916
1916

1916


  • Germans attack the French strongpoint of Verdun

  • Battle of Jutland – Royal Navy claim Victory

  • Battle of the Somme – July to November

  • British attack at Flers-Courcelette

1917


  • Mesopotamia – British Forces defeat the Turks and take Baghdad

  • USA Declares War on Germany

  • Third Battle of Ypres known as Passchendaele

  • Bolsheviks seize power in Russia

  • Turkish Forces Surrender to the British

1918


  • British forces break through the German Front near Amiens

  • Germany sues for peace – Armistice signed

1914


  • Customs Officers and Police visit all the fishing boats in Stornoway Harbour

  • Battalions of Seaforths and Camerons mobilised

  • North Tolsta Reservist interned

  • First War Casualty telegram arrives (Murdo Graham, 24 North Tolsta)

  • Territorial Battalions of the Seaforths and Camerons are mobilised

1915


  • Killed in action – Pte John Nicolson, 9 North Tolsta

  • Drowned at Sea – Smn Donald Murray, 52 North Tolsta

  • Killed on Active Sevice – Pte Allan Murray, 49 North Tolsta

  • Killed on Active Service – Pte Thomas Murray, 49 North Tolsta

  • Killed on Active Service – Sgt Donald Macleod, 12 North Tolsta

  • Killed on Active Service – Pte Alexander Campbell, 2 North Tolsta

  • Killed on Active Service – L/Cpl Angus Macleod, 56 North Tolsta

  • Killed on Active Service – Pte Donald Martin, 76 North Tolsta

  • Killed on Active Service – Pte John Graham, 39 North Tolsta

  • Drowned off ship – Smn John Mackenzie, 37 North Tolsta

  • Killed on Active Service – Pte John Macritchie, 40 North Tolsta

  • Died of Wounds received at Hill 60 – Pte Donald Murray, 22 North Tolsta

1916


  • Battle of Jutland – Three Lives Lost from Village

  • Swept Overboard – Smn Colin Campbell, 47 North Tolsta

  • Died of Wounds – Cpl Colin Maciver, 62 North Tolsta

  • Killed in Action – Smn Angus Maciver, 33 North Tolsta

  • Kiiled in Action – Smn John Macleod, 56 North Tolsta

  • Died at Home – Smn John Macdonald, 12 North Tolsta

  • Killed in Action – Pte John Macleod, 1 Hill Street

  • Killed in Action – L/Cpl Angus Macleod, 6 North Tolsta

  • Killed in Action – Pte John Macleod, 20 North Tolsta

  • Drowned – Smn Norman MacInnes, 2 Hill Street

  • Killed on Active Service – Sgt. Murdo Murray, 2 North Tolsta

  • Killed in Action – Smn Murdo Murray, 27 North Tolsta

1917


  • Lost at Sea – PO Donald Maciver, 17 North Tolsta

  • Died of Wounds – Pte John Nicolson,3 North Tolsta

  • Killed on Active Service – Pte Murdo Macdonald, 9 North Tolsta

  • Killed in Action – Cpl Alexander Macleod, 56 North Tolsta

  • Killed at Sea – Smn Roderick Maciver, 25 North Tolsta

  • Killed when ship sank – Smn Donald Campbell, 54 North Tolsta

  • Killed when ship sank – Smn Murdo Smith, 65 North Tolsta

  • Died of Wounds in Palestine – L/Cpl Alexander Finlayson, 10 North Tolsta

  • Killed in Action at Passchendaele – Pte Robert Murray, Schoolhouse

1918


  • Killed on Active Service in France – Pte Donald Macleod, 53 North Tolsta

  • Died on board ship – L/Smn Angus Campbell, 54 North Tolsta

  • Lost at Sea – Smn Alexander Murray, 4 North Tolsta

  • Lost at Sea – Smn John Smith, 24 North Tolsta

  • Donald Macdonald

1919


  • Died of Wounds – Smn Donald Murray, 21 North Tolsta

  • The Iolaire Disaster – Island’s Saddest Day

  • Died of Wounds – Pte Angus Maciver, ex 25 NorthTolsta

ALL EVENTS

1914


  • Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated

  • Germany declares war on Russia

  • Germany invades Luxembourg

  • General mobilisation in Great Britain and Ireland

  • Customs Officers and Police visit all the fishing boats in Stornoway Harbour

  • Germany declares war on France


  • BRITAIN DECLARES WAR ON GERMANY


  • Territorial Battalions of the Seaforths and Camerons are mobilised

  • Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia

  • Serbia declares war on Germany

  • Battalions of Seaforths and Camerons mobilised

  • Battle of the Frontiers

  • 1st Battle of the Marne

  • German advance to Paris stopped

  • Both sides dig in – leading to four years of ‘trench warfare’

  • The Seige of Antwerp

  • North Tolsta Reservist interned

  • First War Casualty telegram arrives (Murdo Graham, 24 North Tolsta)

1915


  • 1-4 Cameron Highlanders arrive in France

  • Killed in action – Pte John Nicolson, 9 North Tolsta

  • Drowned at Sea – Smn Donald Murray, 52 North Tolsta

  • Second Battle of Ypres

  • Killed on Active Sevice – Pte Allan Murray, 49 North Tolsta

  • Allied Forces invade the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey

  • Killed on Active Service – Pte Thomas Murray, 49 North Tolsta

  • 51st Highland Division arrives in France

  • Killed on Active Service – Pte Alexander Campbell, 2 North Tolsta

  • Killed on Active Service – Sgt Donald Macleod, 12 North Tolsta

  • Killed on Active Service – L/Cpl Angus Macleod, 56 North Tolsta

  • Killed on Active Service – Pte Donald Martin, 76 North Tolsta

  • Killed on Active Service – Pte John Graham, 39 North Tolsta

  • Drowned off ship – Smn John Mackenzie, 37 North Tolsta

  • The Battle of Loos – September / October 1915

  • Killed on Active Service – Pte John Macritchie, 40 North Tolsta

  • Died of Wounds received at Hill 60 – Pte Donald Murray, 22 North Tolsta

1916


  • Swept Overboard – Smn Colin Campbell, 47 North Tolsta

  • Germans attack the French strongpoint of Verdun

  • Died of Wounds – Cpl Colin Maciver, 62 North Tolsta

  • Battle of Jutland – Royal Navy claim Victory

  • Battle of Jutland – Three Lives Lost from Village

  • Killed in Action – Smn Angus Maciver, 33 North Tolsta

  • Killed in Action – Smn John Macleod, 56 North Tolsta

  • Killed in Action – Smn Murdo Murray, 27 North Tolsta

  • Died at Home – Smn John Macdonald, 12 North Tolsta

  • Battle of the Somme – July to November

  • Killed in Action – Pte John Macleod, 1 Hill Street

  • Killed in Action – L/Cpl Angus Macleod, 6 North Tolsta

  • Killed in Action – Pte John Macleod, 20 North Tolsta

  • Killed on Active Service – Sgt. Murdo Murray, 2 North Tolsta

  • British attack at Flers-Courcelette

  • Drowned – Smn Norman MacInnes, 2 Hill Street

1917


  • Mesopotamia – British Forces defeat the Turks and take Baghdad

  • USA Declares War on Germany

  • Died of Wounds – Pte John Nicolson,3 North Tolsta

  • Killed on Active Service – Pte Murdo Macdonald, 9 North Tolsta

  • Killed in Action – Cpl Alexander Macleod, 56 North Tolsta

  • Killed at Sea – Smn Roderick Maciver, 25 North Tolsta

  • Lost at Sea – PO Donald Maciver, 17 North Tolsta

  • Killed when ship sank – Smn Donald Campbell, 54 North Tolsta

  • Third Battle of Ypres known as Passchendaele

  • Killed when ship sank – Smn Murdo Smith, 65 North Tolsta

  • Killed in Action at Passchendaele – Pte Robert Murray, Schoolhouse

  • Bolsheviks seize power in Russia

  • Died of Wounds in Palestine – L/Cpl Alexander Finlayson, 10 North Tolsta

  • Turkish Forces Surrender to the British

1918


  • Germany announces Unrestricted Submarine attacks

  • Major German offensive in the West

  • Killed on Active Service in France – Pte Donald Macleod, 53 North Tolsta

  • Died on board ship – L/Smn Angus Campbell, 54 North Tolsta

  • Killed in Action – Cpl John Mackenzie, 73 North Tolsta

  • Lost at Sea – Steward John Campbell, 47 North Tolsta

  • British forces break through the German Front near Amiens

  • Lost at Sea – Smn Alexander Murray, 4 North Tolsta

  • Lost at Sea – Smn John Smith, 24 North Tolsta

  • Donald Macdonald

  • Germany sues for peace – Armistice signed

1919


  • The Iolaire Disaster – Island’s Saddest Day

  • Died of Wounds – Smn Donald Murray, 21 North Tolsta

  • Died of Wounds – Pte Angus Maciver, ex 25 NorthTolsta

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